Are we fick, or perhaps approaching our latter end?-But fhould not we be cheered on arriving at the very threshold of our Friend's door? Let us not then think of the storm without; but of the kind reception and comfort we fhall receive within.

Are our fervices lefs requited than we think they fhould be?-Let us think the more of that potent Friend, who will not fuffer the least of our good actions to pass unrewarded.

Or do we think ourselves neglected by our friends, and lefs refpected in general than we hoped to have been?-Alas! let not our minds run on fuch trifles. Have we the confolation to think our great Friend looks favourably upon us? Then let us turn round with complacency, and fmile at the neglect of the world.

Thus too, when we have received an injurywhen our characters have been maligned—or when we have met with ingratitude from those we have affifted-let us recollect we have a Friend, to whom we may bring all our complaints, and who will, in due time, redress all our patient fufferings. -It may, therefore, be our conftant confolation, on every occafion, If God be with us, what matters it who is against us!

LVII.

GAL. i. 16.

I CONFERRED NOT WITH FLESH AND BLOOD.

HE Apoftle particularly means, that he held

THE

no conference with flesh and blood in religious matters. He attended only to the revelation of God. And indeed it is in religious matters, in which flesh and blood are chiefly the moft miferable advisers. But they are vile counsellors on all fubjects, as well as in religion. There are very few actions of our lives which they do not, in fome degree govern, and, in general, mislead. With all the pleasures of the world they go hand in hand. They cáfily filence the voice of temperance; and if not feverely checked, foon lead us into fenfuality. A man under the influence of flesh and blood, is, in fact, a brute,

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In

In all ambitious views, they are alfo our great feducers. That humble mind, which is fatisfied with the station in life appointed by God, and looks for nothing in this world but to pass religiously through it, is foon corrupted by a conference with thefe infinuating inftructors. The Gospel may tell us, that he who humbleth himfelf fhall be exalted; but fuch Gospel rules agree ill with the importunities of flesh and blood. Exaltation alone is their purfuit.

All our domestic habits also and duties they pervade. Indolence, inactivity, and inattention to the proper bufinefs of life, are only conferences with flesh and blood, which are continually displaying the happiness of floth and indulgence.

N. B. Thoughts of this kind might be formed into a fermon, under two or three proper heads. Such as an explanation of the apoftle's meaning more at large-the great mischief of conferring with flesh and blood in various instances—and, laftly, a few rules might be laid down to regulate the proper interference of flesh and blood.

g 2

LVIII.

FIRST COMMANDMENT:

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BUT ONE.

MAN

Un

AN i naturally a helpless creature. furnished in himself for happiness, he is continually feeking it abroad. As his fearch however is commonly ill-directed, it is generally made in vain. In religious matters, the search of nature, before it was guided by Chriflianity, was truly deplorable. As man acknowledged his own helpless condition, he acknowledged also the want of fome fuperior affiftance. But as he had little acquaintance with aught but worldly things, he generally fought his protector among visible objects. He ranfacked the heavens above, and the earth beneath, for objects of worship. So infatuated was

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he

he, that he had recourse even to the works of his own hands. Such was the fource of idolatry.

But now, my brethren, you must not think idolatry is confined merely to the worship of idols. St. Paul gives us a more enlarged idea of it, and tell us, that covetousness, or a love of money, is idolatry.

On this ground, every thing may lead to idolatry, in which we put that trust for happiness, which we should repofe folely in God. Thus, the ambitious man, who places all his dependence for happiness in the attainment of power, is in fact an idolater. He removes his confidence in God to another object.—Thus pleasure may lead us into idolatry-or, in fact, every worldly object, which we fubftitute as the ground of our dependence, in the room of the great Creator.

On apoftolic authority, therefore, as we enlarge the bounds of the commandment, we may eafily know how far we may be guilty of trans greffing it. We have only to ask our hearts, what we truft in for happiness? And we fhall perhaps find, that although we call ourselves Chriftians, we must not lay idolatry entirely to the charge of heathen nations, but may probably find that we also are idolaters ourselves.

Let